Corset.



. L. STARR.

consu. APFLICATION FILED APH. 20 HHG.

Mmm Dm.. 4, mw.,

INVENTDH www@ n WITNESSES v ATTQHNEY consE'r.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 4l, 191%.

.Appli-cation filed April 20.- 1916. Serial No. 92,494.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bassin' L. STARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Ulm, in the county of Brown and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corsets, braces, trusses and other articles designed to be worn closely and more or less tightly to embrace the body, and has for its object to provide such garments or articles with means that will hold them snugly in position and prevent bulging or projection of any portion of said article that will present an unsightly appearance to the proper fitting of the outer clothing while at the same time permitting the garment or object to which the invention is applied yielding under unusual strain, to the great comfort of the wearer and the proper retention of the shape by said garment or article.

lln the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a View of a corset with my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of a corset showing a detail of the invention,

Fig." 4 is a sectional view of a further detail of the invention,

Fig. 5 is an inner face view of the elastic strap showing the referred form, and

Fig. 6 is a lsimi ar view of the modication.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 10

and 11` are the two halves of a corset con-V.

nected at the rear by a lacing 12 as usual. The adjacent edges 13 of the halves 10 and 11 are provided with resilient-stays 13'l 1nserted in pockets in the common manner. A

row 0f eyelets 14 extends from top to bottom of each half near the edges 13 while back from these eyeletsl a short distance from the top and also near the bottom of each half of the corset is a slot 15 that is disposed vertically or parallel with the edge 13. Behind each slot is fastened one or more rows of one member 16 of the Well known snap fastener as shown in Fig. 4 there being preferably at least two or three of such members in each` row. 'llhe slot or slit 15 in each part 10 and 11 at the top and also at the bottom are in line, and through these slots is passed the novel feature ofthe invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 5,

is a common form of 17 indicates a broad elastic strap of such length as will be needed by the person wearing the garment or article to which it is to be applied and having at each end a transverse row of snap fastener members 18 that engage with members 16 and form a secure but separable fastening. llf desired, a-second row of members 18 may be placed within each of the firstnamed rows as shown in Fig. 6.

In the application of this elastic strap to the corset the ends 19 of said strap are passed from the outside inwardly through the slots 15 and the members 18 on the ends thereof connected to the members 16 on the inner side of the corset, proper adjustment being attained to give the desired degree of tension by connecting the snap member 18 with one or the other rows of members 16. When two rows of members 18 are employed on the i strap 17 a greater range of adjustment may be attained.

This invention Will be of great service not only on corsets, but also on trusses, braces of various kinds and in orthopedic surgery as it will cause the articles on which it is employed to tit better and be far more comfortable.

Corsets which lace at the back and which such garments are fitted with back steels that curve inwardly at the waist line, the ends of said steels projecting outwardly and conse uently fail to follow closely the' lines of the ody, and as a consequence these ends, if not at first will in a short time cause the outer clothing of `the wearer to bulge and be very unsightly. -llith stout people a tight fitting corset is uncomfortable as when they sit the flesh of the body is pushed up and there is insucient room at the top of the corset, but by the employment of the elastic strap of the present invention made adjustable by the snap connection, stout people are enabled to wear snug and well fitting corsets without discomfort. These straps keep the upper and lower ends of the corset halves 10 and 11 at the back closely against the body and maintain the perfect line ofthe back and do away with the unsightly effect of steels showing through a perfectly fitting waist or skirt.

The adjustable elastic strap 17 at the top of the corset makes the same smooth and fit closely and is sufficiently high to cover or extend above the ends of the steels and at corset, a great advantage to women having a full bust. Preferably the lacing 12reaches only as high as the strap 17 but may if desired be carried higher. At the bottom of the corset the strap brings the corset closer to the form and being elastic will yield when the wearer sits or bends and thus relieve the corset of undue strain.

In trusses, the elastic strap 17 can be used over all lacings which will cause the truss to hug the body closely without causing the stiff binding pressure of the ordinary truss that is'so very uncomfortable to the wearer. The same strap 17 used with obesity belts makesthem fit closely and at the same time gives them' more flexibility.

1. In combination with a laced corset having slots at the top and bottom of .the laced edges and parallel to said edges, an elastic strap at lthe top and atthe bottom of the corset adapted to overlie said lacing edges with its ends passing inwardly through said slots, and separable connections between both ends of each strap and the body of the corset.

elastic strap on the exterior of the corset at the top and bottom and extending transversely across the lacing edges, the ends of said strap passing inwardly through said slots, and separable adjustable connections uniting both ends of each strap to the body of the corset.

3. In combination with atwo-part flexibly connected article of wear adapted to fit the body snugly and reinforced at the connected edges by resilient strips and having one or more slots near their ends adjacent said strips, an elastic strap adapted to yieldingly join said parts and overlie the terminal ends of the resilient stay strips at the connected edges and cause them and the corners of the connected edges to it closely to the body, the end of said straps passing inwardly through said slots, and separable connections on Iboth ends of each strap and the inner side of the article of wear adjacent said slots to removably and adjustably secure the straps in position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BESSIE L. STARR.

ALFRED D. Mummia. 

